Big Weekend

Enjoy these Cincinnati things to do this weekend. Eat your way through the Cincinnati region without leaving downtown at the annual Memorial Day Weekend Taste of Cincinnati culinary event. Then head to Kings Island for a day full of amusement park fun.

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Craft Breweries in the Cincinnati Region

Tap into the history and local craft beer scene in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.

As the region reconnects with its past, craft breweries in the Cincinnati region abound where you can drink in our storied brewing heritage through local craft beer. Below is a sampling of breweries from around the region. Click here for a complete list of the 50+ local breweries.

Bad Tom Smith, named for an infamous outlaw, offers a laid back tap room and beer garden with 12 beers on tap served by passionate bartenders who will share the story of both the outlaw and their brewery. Stay for a few and enjoy a board game or catch a sporting event on the big screen. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Run by a family of passionate brewers, Braxton Brewing is a must-see on any local brewery excursion. The vast tap room feels like an upscale garage with leather couches and flat-screen TVs all around. In the warmer months enjoy a cold brew in the outdoor seating area. Open Tuesday through Sunday.

Located in the Over-the-Rhine brewery district, step into this 19th-century tap room and sample several varieties of craft brews, then tour the brewing facility and learn about the history of the building and the brewery district. Open Wednesday through Sunday.

Fifty West has an entire campus of options to explore that include a brew pub serving lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, plus the Production Works tap room with adjacent volleyball courts, bike and canoe rental. The brew pub is open daily, and the tap room is open Wednesday through Sunday.

Hofbräuhaus is modeled after the legendary 400+ year-old Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany. Visit any day of the week to enjoy a traditional German meal paired with Bavarian beer in the lively Bier Hall or in the Bier Garden overlooking Newport on the Levee and the Cincinnati skyline.

In the neighborhood: Be surrounded by penguins, octopus, and stingrays at Newport Aquarium. Then take a selfie at the nearby World Peace Bell: the largest, free-swinging bell in the world.

Rhinegeist is a popular local brewery with a large tap room and outdoor rooftop deck. Occupying an historic building, the taproom is well-lit by skylights during the day, has two-story tall columns and interesting artwork adorning the walls. There's also ample space for ping pong, cornhole, and special events. Sip a pint while enjoying the 360-degree views from the rooftop deck (weather permitting). Open daily.

In the neighborhood: Grad some food and local goods at nearby Findlay Market, and be sure to leave time for a visit to Betts House – Ohio’s oldest brick house featuring ongoing history and architecture exhibits.

Located in the basement of a former church in Cincinnati's eclectic Northside neighborhood, Urban Artifact brews sour and wild beers, plus offers live entertainment most evenings. Open seven days a week.

Appropriately named, this popular westside hangout is fun for the whole family with games, TVs, ample tables, and a dozen or more beers and ciders. Open daily (Wednesdays are also dog-friendly!)

In the Neighborhood: Explore the trails, green spaces, and arboretum at the nearly 1500-acre Mt. Airy Forest. Lace up your shoes and knock down some pins at S&S Western Bowl.

Cool Cocktails

Sundry and Vice

Not in a beer mood? Check out one of these hot spots for cool cocktails around the region:

Sundry and Vice – Try a mezcal and root beer high ball or a house cocktail like Spin the Bottle with bonded bourbon, amaretto, lemon, ginger and egg white at this apothecary-themed bar in Over-the-Rhine.

Bar at Palm Court – Relax with a glass of hand-selected Four Roses Bourbon in Art Deco style.

Coppin's – South of the river in Covington, try a Open the Roebling made with bourbon, blueberry Champagne shrub, ginger, lemon and Jamaican #1 bitters.

Somm Wine Bar – Sip on Somm sangria while on the vacation-like patio; or try something new like Sage Against the Machine, a cocktail comprised of gin, sage simple syrup and fever tree tonic.

The Overlook Lodge – Named after the hotel in Stephen King's "The Shining," the cocktail menu continues the theme with drinks like Writer's Block (bourbon and apple-berry sweet tea) and Redrum Returns (cruzan dark rum, strawberry clove puree, citrus, soda and cranberry bitters).

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Julie is a proud resident and avid promoter of the Cincinnati region! From the breweries and local eateries to performing arts to professional sporting events, Julie loves experiencing all that the region offers.